Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-14
GENERAL REMARKS.

The following closes the reports:
The years earnings from railroad business
show an increase over those Of the previous
wear OF say p 900, and arc slightly better than
those of 1889 - which was the best year In the
previous history OF the rcad. The falling OF in
iooal business has bs-n checked and an increase
Is again shown. Ihe passenger trafc Also shows
some improvement. These are Indications that
the country tributary 90 the road Is recovering
from the effects Of the floods Of the previous years.
Tn. permuueut value OF the superior facilities
which The road has at terminal pDi ITS Is demon
strated by the continued increa.e IN connection
business. IN which there is gain Of IL Ger cent.
over last year, and what is moro encouraging,
the dechne VA rates. which for years has been
continuous, has come 10 a halt
Expenses have also been greater. but, es Will
be seen from the statement. thc increase Is In
TIE item of maintenance. which. as was eX-
palned IN our report OF last year, comes from
he fact ttat the road, now seven years old. has
reached a condition whore very extensive timber
and tie removals axe necessary. The policy OF
Gling IN tho roadway instead Of renewing the
timber in tre-tles has been consistently pur-
sued and as tho report Of the assistant enei-
nrer shows. much OF that work Las been Zone.
We would ak careful reading OF his report as
showing tho extent and character Of the years
work Of bettermcnts and repairs. The property
has IN all respects been kept In thorough order
nud condition. fne motive power. the amount
OF which was hXed when tho iOn-mileage OF the
road was los tha1 one haif mat OF the past
year aId which had received 40 additions since.
proving inadequate 70 the ccouOmlcfl handling
Of he traalr. has been added 20 by he purchase
Of three tr9-Shec, locomotives.
The receipts from collateral properties again
show a decrease. ard tic downward tendency is
pretty certain 10 continue a. TO the Richmond
docks. tor the changed conditions OF commerce
yearly diminish the uses for which he's arc em-
ploycd. IL is proper 10 explain. ho~eyer, she.
there are benefits likely 20 bo derived from the
water power which will not show IN the revenue
directly credited 20 hat source. The policy Of
leasing power az very low rates. II aken points
ana for industries that Will Increase the ua.-c
of tho road is believed % be fId.c.Ous, o1pocialy
when coupled with the provision that the lessees
assume the burden Of making tue Improvements
aud repairs Necessary 20 secure and maiutHin
tfc water supply. In this connection. reference
may bo made 20 the numerous dams on the
DANES river, which were built and N uutaned
Tor the purpose OF supplying water 20 tho canal
Of the James River aud kanaWha Company.
For The most part, they arc not needed for sup
Dlyinc levels from which water power cOJld 10
furniehrd aud are directly Injurious TO tho
read by raising tue EOod line in umo OF
fires lcts. Ihoy are alleged 10 Do Injurious.
also. 20 70 the adjacent country Uy sob
bing the bottom lands. interfering with their
cultivation. aud producing conditions tending 10
the Development Of i1alarlal poison, and 80
detr mental 20 the health II tho communities.
Along with the maintenance Of the dams there
rnu an obligation. inherited from the James
kiycr and kaaawhe Company, 70 build aid
maintain ish-iaddcrs on oil of tho damE-au
Obligation which Was very onerocs. IN that its
futllmpuf WOuld luNOiFt very large OutlhN,
both tor build ~ and koepne up the lishways.
aud this without Increasing the revenues Of tho
road IN tho slightest, or comforting correspond
ing benefits upon my one. The cost Of build
ing alone WAS estimated at about $500 by nr.
Lorraine. chief engineer o. the James kigor
and kanawha Company. Recognizing these
fa-ts, the General Assembly, a. - last session.
authorized a. ho removal OF 81 dams, tie maintc-
nance II which Eas not demanded by charter
reGuiremenls ani, conditioned upon the re-
moVal II the dams between B0shcrs dam nogr
Richmond aud LYuchDurg, reloa ed the cOmpa-
ny from the obligation to build ashwsys. A
commission was sppOinted 20 examine as 20 the
expociency OF removing ihc several dams and 10
report 10th B0ard OF Public NOrks the inyes-
tlgauOu was made during the summer. aD1 an
exhaustive rcpOri vas me1e. which has been
published Pursuant thereto the work Of r.
moving all Of the dams between B0shoT and
Lynchbure-namely. a. MadeG's Adventure,
pombertOn. fye riyer and Joshua ralls-Wgs iu-
augurateG aDl viii be pushed a. rapidly as pos
sibIe. 10 viii i1yCiye In outlay Of several th"u-
sand dollars, but there can be 10 couDt that tse
o ,st.
During the year wood pulp and paper-mill
has been hunt "a the kichmOnd level. aud tbo
Virginia Iron and Nail-S orXs Company are add
ing a blastfurnRcc u their works AZ hessens.
Oihrr manufacturing enti.piisos al0ng tae iiuo
are In contemplation.
Upon the wuole, the results 81 The years opera
tious are encouraging. There has GOT been such
marSe improvement Gs sons Of The ruR IS OF tho
state have rcen favored with but there are inGl-
cations VI po.sutisi groVth which warrant hope
ful expectations for the future OF the Ioad.
We desire 70 convey our Acknowledgements 70